Chapter 855
‘How far can I go…?’
Raon repeated Glenn’s words to himself, clenching his fingers.
‘What did he mean by that?’
Karoon Zieghart had shed the skin of inferiority and become an entirely different person.
Now, there was no reason for them to be at odds, so Raon didn’t understand why Glenn wanted him to watch “how far” he could go.
Still, he couldn’t ignore Glenn’s words. He always seemed to speak casually, but there was always meaning behind it.
‘I’d better do as he said and watch closely.’
Even aside from Glenn’s intentions, just observing a spar between transcendents would be a huge help. Raon resonated the [Ring of Fire] to heighten his focus.
“There’s an uninvited guest.”
Karoon clicked his tongue as he looked at Raon standing beside Glenn.
Despite his words, he didn’t look displeased.
“I invited him, so he’s not an uninvited guest.”
Glenn shook his head calmly.
“If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll send him away, but since you’re here, I thought he might as well watch.”
He shrugged, leaving the decision to Karoon.
“It’s fine with me.”
Karoon gave a calm nod.
“I didn’t plan to reveal my full strength to you anyway.”
He flexed his fingers, saying he’d intended to hide his true abilities from Glenn.
“Is that so?”
Glenn nodded with a faint smile.
“Then let’s not waste time—let’s begin.”
He brushed off his hands lightly and walked to the center of the training ground.
“Understood.”
Karoon looked at Raon for a moment, then quietly drew his sword.
“Mmm…”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Karoon’s stance.
‘He’s gotten even stronger.’
Not much time had passed since Karoon reached transcendence, yet the gap between then and now felt immense.
-He hasn’t just “gotten stronger”—he definitely has.
Wrath scrunched his nose as he looked at Karoon.
‘Really?’
-Yes. When he first became a transcendent, his level was unstable, but now he’s managed it, and something about him has grown even further.
Wrath nodded, saying Raon would understand if he watched.
“I’ll go first.”
Karoon raised his sword with an elegant posture, like a noble. A dignified yet sharp energy rose along his blade.
“Go ahead.”
Glenn nodded calmly, drawing his Heavenly Tremor. His gaze turned as sharp as the radiance on his blade, making it clear he didn’t intend to go easy.
Rumble!
Even before the sound of their footsteps shaking the ground had died away, Glenn and Karoon collided at the center of the training hall.
Clang!
Sparks burst from the air as their swords crashed, and black cracks appeared in the space.
True to their natures, Glenn and Karoon didn’t yield an inch, clashing head-on.
“Hm!”
Glenn smiled as he saw Karoon’s aura wrapping the blade as thin as silk.
“You’re now worthy of being called a transcendent.”
He nodded, looking pleased with his son’s growth.
“You can use more strength, if you wish.”
Karoon pressed Glenn with sharp energy.
“It’s just a light spar, so there’s no need to get too serious.”
Despite claiming it was a light match, Glenn pushed Karoon back with intense thunder energy.
Boom!
Unable to withstand the force in Glenn’s Heavenly Tremor, Karoon was blasted backward, leaving deep footprints in the ground.
“Surely you’re not done already?”
Glenn tilted his chin in a provocative manner.
“No, this is just the beginning.”
Karoon twisted his ankle so hard his shoe creased, then stepped forward.
His movements were swift yet direct, brimming with sharpness. He intended to win with the swordsmanship he’d built up, without any cheap tricks—a noble swordsman’s resolve.
Slaaash!
Karoon’s strike, carrying that resolve, pierced through the thunder shield Glenn had raised, driving the blade in sharply.
“Good.”
Glenn smiled as he received Karoon’s sword. Even when facing a transcendent’s sword imbued with will, his Heavenly Tremor didn’t waver.
“[Sword Field Creation – Manifestation of the Sword King].”
Karoon announced the name of his technique, bending his wrist and arm in a straight line. His graceful, linear strike aimed straight for Glenn’s vital points with exhilarating force.
Chiiiing!
Fast, sharp, firm, and grand. Karoon had honed these four values to the utmost to reach transcendence.
The ideal swordsmanship Burren pursued was now embodied in Karoon’s hands.
“This is exciting!”
Glenn responded to Karoon’s blade with a deep laugh. Strength, speed, and exquisite swordsmanship crashed together, sending shockwaves everywhere.
Rumble!
Raon swallowed dryly, watching Glenn unleash destructive lightning and Karoon unfurl noble currents.
‘So this is a duel between transcendents…’
Glenn and Karoon didn’t give an inch, exchanging deadly techniques as if fighting to the death.
Even if Glenn wasn’t using half his true power, it was shocking to see Karoon keep up like this.
“Spear Sword Form.”
Karoon thrust his sword, which had been drawn back, forward. The energy swirling around the blade spun fiercely, forming a point of ultimate power.
“Thunderfire Crimson Lotus.”
Glenn scraped the ground with his Heavenly Tremor and raised it high. The thunder roaring along the blade blossomed into a grand crimson flower.
Kwaaaang!
The clash of ultimate moves from both transcendents made the whole training ground tremble as if it might collapse.
But neither showed any intention of stopping, trading even faster and fiercer blows.
Rooooar.
It felt to Raon as if he was right there in the fight with Glenn and Karoon. His crimson eyes flashed as he moved his fingers endlessly.
As if determined to master every technique from both of them.
—
Kyaaaaang!
After nearly thirty minutes, the spar finally ended, and Glenn and Karoon both lowered their swords and stepped back at the same time.
“……”
“Hoo…”
Unlike Glenn, who was still composed, Karoon was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, as if he’d spent all his strength.
“Are you satisfied now?”
Glenn sheathed the Heavenly Tremor and nodded at Karoon.
“…Yes. That cleared my mind a bit.”
Karoon bowed his head, as if in thanks, though his expression remained sharp and steady.
“Raon.”
Glenn looked at Raon with a faint smile.
“What did you think?”
“……”
Karoon, too, wiped the sweat from his brow and turned his attention to Raon, as if curious for his answer.
“Thanks to both of you, I think I understand how transcendents are supposed to fight.”
Raon nodded to Glenn and Karoon in turn.
‘Not everything is possible just because you’re a transcendent.’
Reaching transcendence doesn’t mean you’re suddenly capable of anything.
A transcendent’s battle is about honing the weapons you’ve refined until now to their sharpest edge.
‘For me, that would be the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation .’
The [Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation], which contains the essence of all swordsmanship, the Authority of Demon Kings, and the power of emotion Rimmer had taught him. Those two values were what he needed to pursue from now on.
“It seems you’ve reached an even higher level since I last saw you, Black Martial Palace Master. Did you have some enlightenment?”
Raon offered genuine congratulations to Karoon.
“……”
Karoon gazed quietly at Raon and then nodded.
“I killed an ancient dragon.”
“…Excuse me?”
“When the White Blood Cult attacked Zieghart, the thing that broke the walls was a dragon’s breath. To get revenge, I sought out a dragon’s nest nearby.”
He suddenly began explaining what had happened.
“I almost died. I thought it would be easy, since the family head slays them like lizards, but a true dragon is on another level. Its very presence was equal to a transcendent’s, but once it becomes an ancient dragon, it gains unique abilities.”
Karoon nodded, saying that fighting a life-and-death battle with an ancient dragon had brought him to his current state.
“If you ever meet one, be careful.”
Unexpectedly, he not only told Raon how he’d grown, but even warned him about ancient dragons, before sheathing his sword.
“Well, you and Aris already took down the Light Dragon together, so maybe you didn’t need my advice.”
He brushed off his shoulder and turned away.
“No, thank you.”
Raon, still a bit dazed, bowed his head.
Karoon wasn’t exactly friendly, but he’d answered honestly and even given advice, so Raon wasn’t sure how to react.
“Raon.”
Glenn, seeming quite pleased, approached with a gentle smile.
“You’re having a small party at the annex tomorrow, right?”
“Huh? Ah, yes!”
Raon nodded, looking at Glenn.
“Better to hold it the evening after tomorrow. I can come then.”
Glenn gestured, saying he’d be able to attend if it was then.
“All right.”
He’d been explaining about both grandfathers to Sia, so having the party a day later was actually better. Raon nodded.
“Is there something you have to do tomorrow?”
“Oh, a guest will be coming the day after tomorrow.”
Glenn waved his hand, saying he was waiting for someone.
“A guest…”
Raon glanced at Karoon, who was straightening his clothes.
“Not me!”
Karoon turned away with a frown, as if he had no intention of joining such a party.
“Mmm…”
Raon watched Karoon leave the training hall with graceful steps and let out a breath.
‘He’s impossible to read.’
He flicked his finger at Wrath, pointing to Karoon.
‘Do you have any idea what’s up with him?’
-Maybe he’s just hungry and lost his mind?
‘……’
Not everyone’s like you.
—
Two days later.
While Raon was suffering through the greatest agony of his life playing house with Sia—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A knock shook the annex doors as if they’d break them down.
“Raon! Edgar!”
Hearing the familiar voice, Raon stepped out to find Rektor in the entryway, hair swept back as if he’d hurried all the way.
“I heard Sia woke up! Where is she?”
Rektor’s wrinkled fingertips trembled as he demanded to see Sia.
“Grandfather…?”
Raon’s eyes widened at the sight of Rektor.
They hadn’t even sent a letter yet, since it took so many steps to contact Rektor at the Holy Land of the Holy Sword Alliance. How had he gotten here so quickly?
“Father?”
“Father, how did you…?”
Sylvia and Edgar also gaped in surprise.
“I contacted him.”
Glenn emerged from behind Rektor.
“I’d been looking into ways to wake Sia, so I sent a letter right away.”
Glenn smiled faintly, saying he’d had a separate way of keeping in touch with Rektor.
“Oh, I see. Thank you for calling him, Father.”
Sylvia bowed, welcoming Rektor.
“Hmph, looks like I got here a bit early—ow!”
Edgar winced as Rektor kicked him in the rear.
“So, where’s my Sia!”
Rektor looked around with barely contained excitement.
“Yes, go call Sia.”
Glenn nodded, just as eager to see her.
“Understood.”
Raon nodded lightly to Glenn and Rektor.
‘Good thing.’
He was glad he’d explained not only about Glenn but also about Rektor to Sia. With her personality, she’d not only accept both grandfathers but might even turn them into her “minions.”
“Sia, big sister.”
Raon turned to call Sia, who was peeking from behind the door.
“Come on out.”
“Okay!”
With her hair in pigtails by her own stubborn insistence, Sia nodded and came out into the hall.
“Ah…”
Rektor’s eyes grew red, as if just seeing Sia awake was enough to fulfill his life’s wish.
“Mmm!”
Glenn bit his trembling lip, unable to contain his delight at how cute Sia was.
“I explained yesterday, right? The man with Mom is Grandpa Glenn, and the one with Dad is Grandpa Rektor.”
Raon gently nudged Sia’s back and sent her over to Glenn and Rektor.
“Grandpa?”
Sia glanced between Glenn and Rektor with her wide eyes. She gave a bright smile and bowed her head.
“Hello!”
“Sia!”
“Sia…”
Rektor finally burst into tears, spreading his arms wide, while Glenn, though seemingly calmer, couldn’t hide the tremble in his hands.
“Come here!”
Both of them reached out at once, beckoning her into their arms. Thanks to the earlier explanation, they called out to their granddaughter without hesitation.
Still, watching the two of them compete even now was a little ridiculous.
-How many children are in this house…?
Wrath let out a hollow laugh, unable to comprehend the scene.
“Mmm…”
Sia looked between Glenn and Rektor with her big eyes, seeming to ponder whom to go to.
“You can go to whoever you like more, big sister.”
Raon grinned mischievously and wiggled his finger. He’d already explained everything about Glenn and Rektor, so he was curious whom she’d choose.
“Who I like more?”
“Yeah.”
As he nodded, Sia suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Then, I like Raon the most.”
Sia pulled Raon into a hug, saying she had to take care of her younger brother.
“Ugh…”
Hugged tight in Sia’s arms, Raon quickly lifted his gaze.
Rumble!
Just a second ago, Glenn and Rektor’s eyes had been shining with anticipation and affection for Sia, but now they had turned as fierce as wild beasts.
Crackle!
What was even more absurd was that even Sylvia and Edgar were glaring at him with eyes full of rising fury.
“This isn’t what I… uh…”
Feeling the icy tension filling the annex, Raon took a deep breath.
-Hehehehehe! You dug your own grave!
Wrath burst out laughing, as if he was having the time of his life.
-From today on, I’m making your big sister my underling! This is entertainment!
He cackled, saying he hadn’t seen anything this funny in ages.
‘At the party, all you’re getting is hard bread…’
* * * * * * *
(T/N: Still not back to a regular upload schedule, but I’ll be uploading at least 5 chapters per series every week, in order based on the most recent series I picked up. No fixed days yet, but I’ll keep the bulk uploads coming as best as I can!)
